Amid heightened concerns over a possible security threat linked to Iran, the United States has withdrawn its B-1 bomber aircraft from the Royal Air Force Fairford base in western England.
Reports on Sunday indicated that an urgent redeployment was under way, with the bombers leaving the British base for their home stations in the United States. Around a dozen B-1 aircraft had reportedly been stationed at Fairford before the withdrawal.
The Pentagon confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford had returned to bases in the United States, while stressing that the aircraft and their crews remain prepared to conduct long-range precision strikes from American territory if required.
Washington has not disclosed the specific reason for the sudden redeployment. The move comes as the United States and Israel remain engaged in a military conflict with Iran, more than seven months after the war began on February 28.
RAF Fairford, located about 160 kilometres west of London, has long served as a staging point for US strategic bomber operations and has played a role in previous American military campaigns in the Middle East.
The base has recently come under scrutiny following alleged plots linked to Iran. On September 27, British authorities arrested five men suspected of planning to plant explosives near the facility. They were released without charge the following day after investigators reportedly found petrol but no explosives in their vehicles. The investigation remains ongoing, while Iran has denied involvement.
British police later arrested a 25-year-old British-Iranian dual national in London on suspicion of involvement in a separate plot targeting the airbase.
Counter-terrorism authorities say the investigation remains complex, with several possible explanations being examined, including potential involvement by a foreign state.
The arrests have heightened diplomatic tensions between Britain and Iran, with Tehran summoning the British ambassador to protest the detentions.
The developments have also drawn attention from US President Donald Trump, who praised British authorities for their handling of the investigation.
The United States has maintained a long-standing military presence at RAF Fairford during major Middle East conflicts, dating back to the Gulf War in the 1990s.
The base has also been the scene of anti-war demonstrations, including a 2003 incident in which five protesters entered the facility while attempting to disrupt preparations for the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Britain, however, has largely stayed out of the current conflict with Iran despite pressure from the Trump administration, maintaining a more limited role in the wider confrontation.
